Past Mistakes Future Regrets
by DarkLadyAddams
Summary: Morticia was 18, naïve and had a friend asking for a favor; how was she to know that years later her loved ones would be the ones to suffer.
1. Chapter 1

Love can survive all right? Surely this is just temporary. Hopefully Gomez's hot castellan blood will cool off soon. Morticia sat on the steps of the front porch sobbing, hoping to wake up from this horrid nightmare. Never in their 23 year marriage did she expect for Gomez to throw her out of the house and declare to never let her set one foot back inside.


	2. Chapter 2

Morticia was just about to start banging on the door, pleading with Gomez to change his mind, when the door opened revealing her former butler. "Here Mrs. Addams, I brought you some of your personal items and umm here is some money that I have saved". "I have also called you a cab." Lurch didn't know what else to do, he did hear the fighting but stayed in the kitchen like a good servant would. There was something said about the last 23 years being a joke and that he would never forgive her. He heard her crying, pleading and wanting to offer an explanation. Then he heard the front door slam and heavy footsteps on the stairs.

"Thank you Lurch. I have no idea where to go; with Mother being gone, her house sold and me forfeiting my inheritance to Ophelia, and who knows where she is at, I have nothing!". "There's a motel about two miles down the road on the right" Lurch offered " It's not much but you will be safe there tonight and if Mr. Addams regrets his actions I will tell him where you are". Morticia wrapped her arms around Lurch's waist and sobbed some more. Lurch, caught off guard by her uncharacteristic demeanor, cautiously returned the embrace.

Just when he thought that she may further breakdown the cab drove up honking once. Lurch carried her bags to the cab and for what seemed like an eternity they stared at one another. Morticia offered him a weak smile then entered the cab. He watched until the tail lights were gone then turned to see how the other half of this broken bond was doing.

Once inside the motel room Morticia sat on the corner of the bed trying to get the image out of her head of Gomez tearing up. The look on his face when told their marriage might not be valid due to her already being married. Oh, how she could turn back time to when she was 18 years old and had never met Collins.

Collins Brentwood had been a classmate of Morticia's. Morticia befriended him when she noticed that some of the other teens, especially the boys, shied away from him. During their senior year Collins finally admitted to her that he was gay and that his trust fund could not be obtained until he was married for at least one year. His parents, having been older when he was born, were pressuring him to find the right girl to marry soon after graduation and start producing grandbabies. Always one to help a friend Morticia agreed to marry Collins for the length of one year and to keep his secret safe. She also knew that her virginity would stay preserved for her future real husband.

So there they were, the day after graduation, on the steps of the courthouse with her mother and his parents, being pronounced husband and wife. Day one had started and they agreed that they would be "trying" for a baby for the next 364. As the year flew by, they put in two extra weeks just be be on the safe side and Collins offered Morticia the honorable way out of the marriage by him taking the blame of engaging in extramaritable affairs. Morticia signed the divorce papers, said goodbye to her friend and set out to live her life. Mrs. Frump insisted that she never reveal that she was a divorcee' because men do not want to marry another man's leftovers.

Fast forward three years to the fateful day that she would meet Gomez Addams and become his wife two days later. Morticia never questioned the legality of her first marriage, assuming that Collins took care of everything. Besides, she was too busy learning the real way babies were made. Collins Brentwood never crossed her mind again, until she received his phone call 26 years later.


	3. Chapter 3

The children were home for Spring break and everyone were gathered in the parlor dancing and laughing. Wednesday and Pugsley were showing off the newest dance steps while Gomez and Morticia stuck to their favored tango. The shrill of the telephone called for an intermission. "I'll get it Lurch" offered Uncle Fester "Hello, who? Oh yes hold please, Morticia Frump telephone". Gomez gave Morticia a perplexing look "My dear, who would be asking for you by that name?" "I don't know, but there is only one way to find out, excuse me my love". Morticia picked up the receiver stating "Morticia Addams speaking". "Morticia? Have I really found you? This is Collins Brentwood". Morticia gasped and dropped the phone. "Tish, are you okay?" asked Gomez as he bent to pick up the phone. "Oh yes Gomez I'm fine, it's just the lawyer handling Mother's estate and making sure that I still want to give Ophelia my half of the money. You know I owe it to her for stealing her betrothed" she gave him a wink and excused herself to a more private phone. She couldn't believe that she had just lied to her husband, her knight in shining armour who had no reason to doubt her. With shaking hands she answered the phone again, calling the lawyer's name to be sure that Gomez hung up. "Collins? Why on earth are you calling me?"

"Morticia, I had a hard time finding you. It is really important that I speak to you face to face as soon as possible". "Collins what could you possibly have to tell me after all these years?" "Like I said, I think it's best to talk in person". "No, No, absolutely not acceptable. Please do not call here again goodbye". With that, Morticia calmed her nerves and returned to her family. Gomez asked what was so important that the lawyer called this late in the evening, and in order to change the subject she slithered up to him "Mon Cher will you escort me for a stroll around the grounds?" "Tish, you in the moonlight would be a sight I would not miss my little black orchid". Hopefully she had taken care of the unwanted caller of her past but little did she know that tomorrow would bring more than dreaded sunshine.

Standing on the front porch, Collins really didn't want to do this at her home, but she had a right to know. He rang the doorbell and waited. When Lurch answered the door he asked for Morticia. Lurch motioned him in, told him to wait there and went to fetch the mistress of the house. Morticia and Gomez walked to the foyer to greet her visitor. "Greetings, Gomez Addams here and my lovely wife Morticia, come on in. Whom do we owe the pleasure for this visit?" "Collins Brentwood, I'm...", "Why don't we continue in the library" interrupted Morticia.


	4. Chapter 4

"Now Gomez" Morticia said hesitantly "Collins Brentwood is an old classmate of mine and I'm not quite sure why he is here, but please keep an open mind". Collins noting Morticia's demeanor, realized that this would be the first that Mr. Addams would be hearing anything on this subject. "Mr. Addams, while reviewing my life insurance policy, I noticed that I still had Morticia listed as my beneficiary and in order to change this I needed her signature". "Okay and why would you have my wife listed as your beneficiary?" asked Gomez trying to figure out where this was going. "Well, uhm" Collins looked at Morticia for permission to keep talking, "When I went to the courthouse for a copy of the divorce decree to prove that I did not need her signature, it could not be located".

You could see Gomez putting two and two together and coming to the conclusion that his beloved querida had been married before, never told him and could possibly still be married to this bloke. This woman whom he thought knew only him and no other man...whom has been his wife for 23 years...whom is the mother of his children never thought it important to share this with him. He felt like he had been suckered-punched in the gut. Morticia ran to Gomez pleading "Gomez please let me explain! It's". Gomez cut her off "Lurch it's time for our guest to leave, please show him out". Gomez was enraged. He waited for Brentwood to leave and when he could finally looked at his wife he exploded "How could you do this to me? Some man waltzes into MY home and tells me that my wife, MY WIFE! was and still is his". "I, I just don't know what to think; you never once considered my right to know?" All these years together, me priding myself on being the perfect husband, were never legal.

Morticia was still trying to get Gomez to listen to her. "It's not what you think darling, please just listen to me". "There is nothing else to be said. You have made a fool of me and I will never forgive you". Grabbing her arm, Gomez led Morticia thru the front door. Before shutting the door she heard him say "Maybe I married the wrong sister after all". Back at the motel, Morticia curled up on the bed, completely exhausted. Not able to cry anymore she closed her eyes thinking that when she woke up, she would be in her own bed in Gomez's arms.

The next day, Collins visited the Addams home once more. He owed it to Morticia to correct the past mistake. Hopefully, he could make Mr. Addams believe the circumstances involving Morticia and himself. When Lurch escorted him to the parlor, Collins saw a broken man. A man who believed that he had nothing to live for. Clearing his voice to make his presence known, Collins wasted no time. "Mr. Addams I'm here to set the record straight, please listen to all I have to say". Gomez turned to him listening; he had no strength to protest now. Collins proceeded to tell Gomez the whole story; about his being gay, his trust-fund stipulations and how he felt about taking advantage of his closest friend at the time. Gomez was just about to tell him that none of it mattered when it hit him. "Go back to the beginning, did you say that you were gay?".

"Umm yes, please believe that there was nothing romantic between Morticia and I! She was the one who saved me back then. If it wasn't for her unselfish heart I don't think that I would have been able to live. I was where you are at now, thinking that I had nothing left to live for and that the world wouldn't care if I died". Gomez thought for a moment; yep that was his Morticia, always wanting to help anyone in need. "Why didn't she ever tell me?" thinking out loud. Collins lowered his head "She was probably ashamed". Gomez, now feeling like an ass, said "I lost it, I lost it. I should have remained calm and listened to her. Now she will never forgive me. My poor Cara Mia, I turned her out to the streets and who knows where she is now or what danger I've put her in". "Mr. Addams, I may know where she is" Lurch interjected. "Lurch my man to the car and Mr. Brentwood please give me a few days to make things right with my wife and to contact my lawyer. We will set everything right!" an enthusiastic Gomez shouted while shaking Collins's hand.


	5. Chapter 5

Gomez forgo freshening up only stopping long enough to gather some of Morticia's roses, he would snap the heads off in the car. His only hope was that his beloved wife would forgive him for being a cad. Turning into the driveway of the Lonely Hearts Inn, Lurch was hoping that he would have two occupants in the backseat on the return trip back home. Gomez lunged out of the moving car, flew into the office "My good man have you a raven-haired goddess staying in your fine establishment?" "Tight black dress, figure to die for? Room 666" replied the clerk. "Thank you kind sir and here is a little something for your help". The clerk about fell off his stool while eyeing the stack of hundreds on the counter.

Morticia was beside herself. She had come to the conclusion that the most honorable way out would be to end it all. How could she face her family now? Poor Pugsley and Wednesday, to find out that their mother was a harlot and that they were illegitimate. It had came to her a short time ago, the cyanide in her ring. She mixed it into a glass of water and brought it to her lips. She paused to say " veuillez me pardonner mon amour**". **Gomez busted thru the door throwing the bouquet of stems over his shoulder "Tish that's french!" Startled, Morticia dropped the toxic water, stood up and wondered if she had gone mad. Gomez fell to his knees wrapping his arms around Morticia's waist pleading for forgiveness. She sat down on the bed taking Gomez's face in her hands "Bubala, it is I who should be begging for your forgiveness. I don't understand what has changed". Gomez leaned in and kissed her passionately "My darling bride, all these years I have prided myself on being your one and only lover and the thought of another man having you drove me insane. I had thoughts of our honeymoon, that you were acting the naïve virgin. Collins came back and explained that he and you were never intimate. My beautiful Morticia, I would crawl thru glass and hot coals to earn your love again". "Gomez, you never lost my love" now a teary-eyed Morticia replied, "I had always wanted to tell you, but with a two-day courtship there was never any time and after the wedding it seemed non-essential. I figured that since I didn't know everything of your life before it wouldn't have mattered". "Oh Gomez! What are we to do?" Gomez sat on the bed beside her "Please Querida don't cry. I will have my lawyer look into this matter, we will figure out a solution. Who knows we may have a wedding that didn't start off as your sister's first. Let's go home". As they stood up, Morticia pulled Gomez unto her until she thought that they would meld into each other "Gomez, I thought my life was over, without you I couldn't go on living". "Tish banish the thought, I promise to never be a fool again. Come on darling, I'm in the mood for a tango" Gomez winked.

The next morning Morticia awoke in her own bed with Gomez enveloped on her like a security blanket. For a moment she wondered if she had dreamed it all. When she turned to face Gomez he pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. "Good morning my love, the lawyer should call around noon. He was to be at the courthouse at nine to check on things". "Gomez, what if our marriage is invalid? What about the children? How would we explain it to them without them hating me?" Gomez felt a pang of guilt; how could he answer her remembering his first reaction. "Let's just wait for the phone call."

Lurch was beside himself. All was quiet in this normally chaotic funhouse, but here he was in non-familiar territory. First, no one even touched his toadstool soufflé at breakfast, then he was banished from playing his beloved harpsichord. The two main occupants of the home did nothing but stare at the phone and the clock as if something was going to detonate. Man, he surely did not want to answer that phone. The sound of the doorbell and not the telephone startled everyone. As Lurch answered the door, a very somber looking lawyer stepped into the room. Morticia reached for Gomez for support certain that she was going to faint as Gomez braced himself against the chair suffering from the same fate. "Well Old Man, what news do you bring?" questioned Gomez.'

"Gomez, Mrs. Addams, I have good news and bad news". "Good news is that the divorce decree was found behind a file cabinet; bad news is that it was lost before it was notorized and considered official. Normally this would be a slight setback, find the Judge who signed it and get him to sign an affidavit stating the legality of the divorce; but unfortunately he has since passed away". "Our marriage is void then?" questioned Morticia. "Not necessarily, it just means that we have to go through more hoops to prove your's and Mr. Brentwood's intentions of ending your marriage all those years ago. Luckily Mr. Brentwood is available to be a part of this." Gomez released the breath of air he didn't realize he was holding in "So what exactly do we must do and how discretely can this be taken care of?" "Morticia and Collins with their respective attorneys go before a panel of three judges, state the erroneous handling of the paperwork at the Clerk's office and their faith in the legal system that as of that day they were divorced. If all three judges agree, then they sign a retroactive divorce decree and agree that you and Mortica had been legally married on your wedding day. It should be a short meeting and no attention should be drawn to it". "Alright then, what are you waiting on? Go ahead and file whatever you have to do to expedite a court date and I will give you Mr. Brentwood's contact information. Thank you old friend, you shall be greatly compensated". Gomez threw the lawyer for a loop by bear-hugging him then shaking his hand feverishly as he walked him to the door.


	6. Chapter 6

Days later, after all the formalities had been taken care of and Collins Brentwood sent on his merry way, the mansion was finally back alive with the kookiness of the Addams way. Gomez and Morticia were dancing to the glorious sound of Lurch's harpsichord playing. "Ah Quireda" grinned Gomez "My beautiful, legal bride of 23 years! May the gods forever grant us happiness"! "Oh Gomez are you sure that you have forgiven me for never speaking of my past mistake"? "Of course my love and to prove to you my devotion I once again ask for your hand in marriage and promise to give you the proper wedding that you deserve". With that, Gomez knelt down and offered Morticia a silver band of black sparkling diamonds. "Will you, Morticia Frump, make me the happiest man in the world by marrying me ...again"? "Oui Gomez" squealed Morticia sitting on his knee, "Do you mind if we start with the honeymoon first"?


End file.
